


auribus teneo lupum

by leovaldez



Series: the romans be vibin [6]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Death, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Originally Posted on Tumblr, The Roman Prequels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:42:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26352106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leovaldez/pseuds/leovaldez
Summary: Octavian, but like, with murder and corrupted morals during the Roman Prequel books
Relationships: Jason Grace & Octavian, Jason Grace & Octavian & Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano, Jason Grace & Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano, Octavian & Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano
Series: the romans be vibin [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1810354
Comments: 3
Kudos: 16
Collections: File Under: Fics Where Octavian Isn't Two-Dimensional Cardboard





	auribus teneo lupum

**Author's Note:**

> i wasn't sure how to go about posting this ngl. they're fake excerpts for the fake roman series. 🤔 i need to find a better way to do this, but this will work for now

######  **The Son of Lightning**

> “You’re lucky death isn’t allowed,” the pale blond snarled at me.
> 
> _You’re lucky they allow ugliness._ Snorting, I grabbed the next rung of the ladder. “I’m not afraid of you.”
> 
> He grinned wickedly, teeth sharp like canines. “You will be.”

( _The Son of Lightning_ , ch 8)

######  **The Missing Vestal**

> “Death before dishonor,” Octavian murmured. “But a man who kills another never had honor to begin with.”
> 
> Reyna ran without a word. I grimaced and threw the rock at him. “What’s your problem? She told us about her dad because she trusted us.”
> 
> Octavian’s jaw clenched. “My family has a long history of death and corruption. It’s in your blood and it won’t go away. Reyna’s cursed her entire line.” He threw the rock back, but it flew past my head. “Don’t chase after her. She needs time.”
> 
> “I won’t let that happen,” I scowled at him. “She’s not cursed. And neither are you for that matter. Fate and ancestry is stupid. Nothing is ever set in stone.” 
> 
> Octavian watched me, and his forehead creased. I didn’t know much about his family, but I was certain that whatever he was implying wasn’t going to happen. I was sure of it. 
> 
> “Okay,” he said softly, and then didn’t speak after that. 

( _The Missing Vestal_ , ch 17)

######  **The Games of War**

> I grabbed Octavian’s arm. “You can’t seriously think that’s okay.”
> 
> “Of course not,” Octavian snatched his arm back. “Have more faith in me, Wolf Boy. It’s ridiculous that they would think we can kill a god. They’re immortal.” He gave me a disgusted look. “Especially not a Fifth Cohort disgrace like you.”
> 
> “You _know_ whose fault that is.” I glared. 
> 
> “Jason.” Despite her brave face during the meeting, Reyna looked nauseous now. “We’re not killing _anyone_. We’ll find him and figure out what happened.” She glanced at Octavian. “Immortal or not, murder is wrong. There is always another way, even if it may seem like the only option.”
> 
> He scoffed. “I know that. Believe it or not but I _have_ morals.” He cracked his knuckles. “As if anyone wants to deal with a death nowadays.”
> 
> “Either of you kill that god-” Reyna looked them in the eye. “I’ll do something worse than death. This is my quest and I can not have it go wild.”
> 
> “I would never,” I promised.
> 
> Octavian nodded grimly. “Never.”

( _The Games of War_ , ch 7)

* * *

> For a moment, it seemed like he would do it. Octavian’s hands gripped the golden hair, and his knife was pressing into the god’s neck. An anger I had never seen erupted through Octavian’s facial muscles. 
> 
> “Do it,” The god giggled deliriously. “Come on, boy. Do it,” His voice grew deeper with each word, more wanting and begging. “Do it. Do it. DO IT. **DO IT.** ” 
> 
> Octavian cried out and dropped the knife like it burned and jumped away, breathing hard. He began shaking his head, clutching his temple. “ _No, no, no, no-_ ” he gasped, head darting up to me and Reyna. He looked scared, with our faces no doubt mirroring that. 
> 
> The god began to cackle, the wretched laughter echoing through the cave, until it suddenly stopped and he slumped over. My hands trembled, the gladius slipping out of my fingers and clattering to the floor.
> 
> “Jason…” Reyna’s cried. 
> 
> “I didn’t- I didn’t kill him,” I choked out. “He’s unconscious.” I licked my lips, grinding my sweaty palms against my thighs. “Unconscious,” I repeated. “Not dead. I can’t- I won’t-”
> 
> “It’s okay,” Octavian breathed, placing a hand on my shoulder. His face was pink like taffy, and in his eyes was fear. “It’s okay, Jason.”

( _The Games of War,_ ch 24)

######  **The Witch's Wrath**

> “Are you _crying_?” I laughed at him. It couldn’t be- _the_ Octavian sobbing like a baby? This was _gold_. Octavian’s head whirled up, and the laugh died in my throat.
> 
> “It was an accident,” He cried. His shaking hands wiped across his chest, staining his clothes red. “An accident, I didn’t mean to-” He grabbed at his chest, gasping out, “I didn’t- I didn’t mean to, Jason, you have to-” He scrambled back, gasping.
> 
> He must’ve been having some kind of attack again. It wasn’t unlike what happened in Tampa. I shifted between my feet, staring at what Octavian did- what he didn’t mean to do. 
> 
> There was a lot of blood. I recognized the fallen soldier as one of the Senate’s spies. His face coated in the unfamiliar red, his pulse gone. One of Octavian’s knifes was nestled in his side. My eyes flickered to Octavian’s panting and rocking. It was too late to save this man, but what could I even _do?_
> 
> A small part of me didn’t believe Octavian. But a much bigger part of me did. _It was an accident_ , I thought, and pulled the knife out with a sickening squish and bile rising in my throat. Wiping the pugio clean on my shirt, I crouched next to Octavian.
> 
> His pupils were dilated, and he couldn’t stop shaking. I asked him to count with me, if he could, and slowly, Octavian calmed down. I didn’t force the air like last time- that felt too invasive. 
> 
> “It was an accident,” Octavian shuddered, sobbing into my shoulder. I patted his back, my eyes never leaving the body a few yards away. _Auribus teneo lupum._ I needed to do something, tell someone, but right now Octavian needed someone too. Who knows what would happened if I left him alone. 
> 
> I’ve seen death before. Lupa would bite into an animal, holding on until it went limp, and then devour the poor thing. I’ve looked into the face of Proserpina and Thanatos and demanded help. I’ve argued with ghosts and listened to their stories. I knew about Reyna and her dad. 
> 
> Yet somehow, all of that felt different. Octavian had always been different. It felt like it was always going to come down to this. His father, his siblings, his prophecies- they were always going to lead to this. 
> 
> I bit the inside of my cheek. No. Things were going to change.

( _The Witch’s Wrath,_ ch 26)

* * *

> On the way back, I watched Octavian. I’m not sure why. I thought maybe something would change. He slept with his head on Reyna’s shoulder, nose whistling softly. My mind searched for his hands that should be stained red, or some sense of fear and madness. Some sign that he was disturbed or upset. Instead, he slept like a baby. 
> 
> I turned away before Reyna could ask what was wrong. It didn’t feel okay that when I looked at my own hands, all I could see was me pulling out that knife. I shakily exhaled, whirling the pinwheel in my hand. It spun slowly, as the bus kept driving. 

( _The Witch’s Wrath_ , ch 28)

* * *

> Octavian’s look of betrayal will never leave my memories. He left, his father’s hand on his back, leading them out of the temple. Reyna’s face held no emotion. She waited until we were out of sight, before she whipped around and pushed me against the wall. 
> 
> “Why didn’t you tell me?” She hissed. “Jason, what is _wrong_ with you?”
> 
> “He didn’t want anyone to know.”
> 
> “I don’t _care!”_ Reyna yelled. “You should’ve told me! We promised no secrets and you hid _this?_ Do you know what you just did?” 
> 
> I pushed her away. “Octavian’s going to get help and figure it out. I _helped_ him.”
> 
> “You think they’re going to _help_ him? After all that happened, you think, those- those,” Reyna sputtered, “those _people_ are going to _help_ him? You think Octavian’s going to come back _better?”_
> 
> “I don’t know,” I admitted. “His family knows what’s right, don’t they?” With Reyna yelling at me like this, I was starting to think I hadn’t thought it through. With exposing that the government was crooked and there were spies everywhere with the Titans, I was beginning to regret telling them about what Octavian did. He was my friend and I had just directed him down an evil path.
> 
> _Family doesn’t mean anything_ , Octavian had said back in Oakland. _My family… I know they’re into some bad things, but what can I do? It’s been going on for generations. I’m not going to become like them. Why do you think I want to be praetor? It’ll be different this time._
> 
> It won’t, I realized. And it was because of me. “We’ll help him,” I desperately assured Reyna. “We can help him.”
> 
> “Honestly, Jason?” Reyna’s eyes were cold. “I don’t trust a single thing you say anymore. I don’t think what Octavian did was right, but _you?_ You knew what you were doing. You knew he wanted to be praetor. This sick little _game_ between the two of you has gone too far.”
> 
> “No…” I trailed off. That wasn’t it. I didn’t care about those titles, I didn’t want them. It wasn’t about our rivalry. I thought I had been helping him. Reaching out, I called, “Reyna, I-”
> 
> “Don’t touch me!” Reyna shrieked, pulling away. “I don’t trust you Jason! This isn’t the first time and it won’t be the last.” She wiped at here eyes, a nasty look on her face, hurt and angry. “You didn’t want people to see you as selfish and power-hungry like your father? Well congrats, Jason. That’s _all_ anyone can see.”
> 
> “ _Reyna_ -”
> 
> She shook her head, stepping back and then when she was far enough, she sprinted away. I wiped at my face, chest heaving. I hadn’t lost just my home in Camp Jupiter today. I lost my family as well. 

( _The Witch's Wrath_ , ch 36)

######  **The Fall of Rome**

> “Don’t do it,” Octavian urged. “You can’t come back from something like that. She’s not a monster.”
> 
> “But she _is_ ,” I growled. 
> 
> Octavian hesitantly reached out. His cold hand went over mine and he lowered my sword. The Venus girl darted away, running back to the ranks of the Titan army. My anger flared.
> 
> “What is your problem?!” I yelled. “She’s one of the bad guys.”
> 
> “We both know it’s not black and white like that,” Octavian winced. “Just focus on the mission.” 
> 
> Even though I was still angry, I can tell by the whipping winds that our fight was not done. The girl was gone anyway. “Fine,” I muttered. “Let’s go.”

( _The Fall of Rome_ , ch 24)

* * *

> Reyna and Octavian were both splattered with ichor and blood. I didn’t ask about the latter, nor did they seem inclined to share. Reyna was nauseus, but Octavian seemed only anxious to keep moving, like something was going to catch him. 
> 
> “What now?” I asked, slumping to the ground. “It’s over.”
> 
> Octavian’s armor jostled. “You’re weak, Wolf Boy. It’s never over- _Hoc est bellum._ ” This is war. 
> 
> Reyna held out her hand. “It’s all you now, Jason. We’ve toppled the Senate, right? All that’s left is the throne. Let us be your sword and shield.”
> 
> I swallowed, glancing between their faces. Reyna’s hair had falled out of her braid long ago, and Octavian’s face was streaked with blood. I didn’t know how many monsters or _people_ , even, they killed for me to get here. Now was not the time to give up.
> 
> “Okay,” I stood, taking her hand. “Krios, then.”

( _The Fall of Rome,_ ch 25)

* * *

> Octavian couldn’t even look at me. It wasn’t my fault- I didn’t _ask_ for praetor. After all that happened, that was the last position I wanted to hold. I just wanted to go back to Gwen’s comforting embrace at the fifth cohort, back to the warm hearth with the Vestals, back to whipping winds of running in the forest as I howled. Instead, I was dripping with gold and purple.
> 
> “I checked the stuffing,” Octavian threw the empty stuffed animal skin at me. “Death and confusion is coming your way. Maybe that’s what you deserve.”
> 
> “You wouldn’t.” 
> 
> Octavian seemed almost disgusted. “No, I wouldn’t. You don’t deserve a death from my hands.” He stormed away, and I stared after him. Still, I couldn’t help but feel unnerved.
> 
> I’ve seen what Octavian could do. Death was one of them. Whatever his father and the Senate did to him, changed him. But it was my fault they even found out. It was my fault for becoming praetor and dooming him to Augur. I remembered how much Octavian would’ve hated this outcome these past few years. I hated it too, but Octavian _abhorred_ this. 
> 
> But I was the one who made it happen.
> 
> Just then, I was afraid. 

( _The Fall of Rome_ , ch 35)

**Author's Note:**

> so the title, auribus teneo lupum, means something like, holding the wolf by the ear, which apparently means that you're in danger if you let go, but also in danger if you do nothing- so no matter what, you're introuble, making it an impossible situation. octavian's downfall is kind of like that here, where when jason interferes and tells the adults, he makes it worse, but he also thinks that if he said nothing, the problem would still go sour as well. 
> 
> lololol no one on tumblr asked me about this so haha I thought it would be cool to explain lol
> 
> [[here is the plot outline to the son of lightning, if you're interested](https://bunkernine.tumblr.com/post/626278769749000192/book-1-the-son-of-lightning-jason-didnt-have-a)]
> 
> [[right here is the original posting of this work](https://bunkernine.tumblr.com/post/628530529930739712/octavian-but-like-with-murder-and-corrupted)]
> 
> [[here is a latter ask about octavian and jason's relationship in this](https://bunkernine.tumblr.com/post/628540564891156480/its-very-interesting-to-see-jason-kind-of-be-a)]


End file.
